Acetylene-generator for life-saving apparatus.



J. BUCK.

Paiented July 2, 190:.

AGETY LENE GENERATOR FOB LIFE SAVING APPARATUS.

(N0 Modei.)

(Application filed Mar. 28, 1901.)

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JOHANNES BUCK, OF OLDENFELDE, NEAR ALT-RAHLSTEDT, GERMANY.

ACfiTYLENE-GENERATOR FO R LJFE SAVlNG APPARATUS.-

SPEOIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 677,600, sates July 2, 1901.

lipplicationfilerililarch 23,1901. SefialNo-62,638. (Nomads To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHANNES BUCK, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor,

, tion.

Myinvention relates to an improved apparatus forsaving life at sea; and itconsists of an acetylene-generator combined with a tube or pipe of rubber or other suitable material, which isinfiated by the gas generated when the apparatus is in use.

My invention is based substantially on the idea of starting the generation of the gas to fill the main tube of the apparatus by means of a preliminary development of acetylene gas, which forces Water contained in a chamber in the apparatus to enter the main gasgenerator. The preliminary development of gas expands an elastic bag or bladder, in this manner forcing water into the acetylene-generator. The preliminary generator is started by breaking a small glass bulb containing water, which on the bulb being brokenpomes into contact with calcium carbid or other suitable gas-developing substance. The breaking of the glass bulb can be effected either by hand or by a hammer device actuated by the pressure of water entering the apparatus on the latter being thrown or placed into the sea.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is a section through the gas-generators when not in use, and Fig. 2'is a plan of the hammer or bulb-breaking device. w

The generators consist of the preliminary developing apparatus, the hammer or bulbbreaking device for starting the preliminary developing apparatus, a reservoir for the water to be used in the-main generator, and the main generator itself, which is connected with' the tube of rubber or other suitable material forming the buoyant part of the apparatus,

All the above-mentioned apparatus are contained in a casing 1, which is divided into several difierent compartments; The compartment 2, which is provided with an open .ing '2 on the left side, is filled with water.

roller 25.

pressed by a coil-spring 28 on thespindle 28,

On the top this compartment is closed by an elastic diaphragm 3, on which is'secured a metal plate 3 possessing a button' or knob i. The compartment 2,which may be called the 7 water-reservoir,. is divided from the compartment 5, which contains the apparatus for the preliminary development of gas, by an expansible bag or bladder ii. \The preliminary developing apparatus contained in this bag consists of a plate 7, which ispressed up'on i the wall 9 of the casing 1 by means of a sqrewthreaded sleeve 8, which also holds the bagj6, in this manner providing the necessary tightness.

From theplate 7, which is provided with a hole 10 in the-middle, rises a cylinder or ring 11, which has a number or holes l1 in its wall. The plate 7: covers an elastic dia phragni 12, on the under surface ot which'is" secured the percussion-surface or so called anvil 14, and above. plate 12 is a glass bulb 15. On the elastic diaphragm 12'also stands a ring or cylinder 16, covered by an elastic diaphragm 17, which is pressed upon the ring 16 by a screw-threaded sleeve 18.

In this manner the elastic diaphragm 12 isv also secured. The ring 16 is provided witha number of holes 16, covered bya rubber ring 19. Underneath this device is'situated the compartment 20, which contains tbebulbbreaking or hammer device. Tbe;'hamrner 2110f this device is carried on a spindle journaled in the side walls of the casing 22. The said walls also support the spindle 23, onwhich the frame 24 is supported. .At the free end of theframe is supported 'a'roller i 25. The catch 26, against which the hammer 21 is pressed by the coiled spring 21 on its supporting-spindle, is secured to the frame 24. In the drawings the frame 24 isshown supported in its uppermost position by the shorter arm of a lever 27, bearing against the The otherend of the lever 27 is the openings or holes The leftpart of the casing 1 contains the In the middle of the" receptacle for' the carbid of the main gasgenerator. This generator consists of acylindrical receptacle 33, which is providedon the side toward the water reservoir 2 with a 5 hole 34, covered by an elastic diaphragm 35,

The elastic diaphragm is pressed against the wall of the receptacle 33 by means of the plug 36.

To the plug 36 is joined a tube 37, which carries a pointed blade 38 at the end near to the elastic diaphragm 35. The other end of the tube 37 is provided with a hollow headpiece 39, having a number of perforations or holes 39, by which the interior of the tube is con' nected with the receptacle containing the forming the buoyant pant of .the

The operation of the generators is as fol- 0 the compartment can then turn on i I anvil 14, breaking the glass bulb 15.

5 pands the bag or bladder lows: Assuming that all parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, as soon as the apparatus is thrown or placed into the sea the water will enter through the openings 32 into or chamber 31 and exercise a pressure on the elastic diaphragm 29. As a consequence the lever 27 will be moved contrary to the tension of the spring 28, so that the roller 25 will be released. The frame 24 ts supporting-spindle 23, which it'will do in a downward direction,

thus removing the catch 26 from beneath the hammer 21, which is at once turned on a spindle by the spring 21 and strikes against the The water thus released from the bulb comes into contact with the carbid in the receptacle 16, so that gas is developed. through the holes 16 in the sleeve 16 and ex- 6. Owing to the expansion of the bag 6 the water in the reservoir 2- 'is forced against the elastic diaphragm 35, which on coming into contact with the pointed blade 38 is perforated, so

that the watercan enter intothe tube 37 and from thence through the headpiece 39 and openings 39 into the carbid '-receptacle 33. When a certain quantity of gas has been developed in this receptacle, the elastic diaphragm 40 will burst and the gas will enter into the tube or buoyant part 42 of the apparatus. Instead of starting the preliminary gasdeveloping apparatus by the pressure of the water'on. the diaphragm 29 the bulb can be ratus is not in work,

broken by hand on pressing the button 4, secured to the diaphragm 3. This diaphragm 3 also serves for equalizing the pressure of the water in the reservoir 2 when the appaand in this manner to protect the membrane 35, which might, owing to chang eof temperature in the water, be

The gas escapes;

forced against the pointed blade 38 when it is not desired to start the apparatus. In order to prevent the gas preliminarily developed from being generated too quickly, it is advisable to surround the bulb with a netting of wire or the like.

The exact form and dimensions of the Various parts can be varied according to desire without altering the essential subject-matter of my invention. i

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-'- 1. In a life-saving apparatus the combina tion of a main and an auxiliary gas-generating compartment,and means whereby the gen-. eration of gas in the auxiliary compartment causes the generation of gas in the maincompartment, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the inflatable apparatus, a ain gas-develo 'iing device connected therewith, and an auxiliary developing device, means for starting the auxiliary device into action, and means whereby the genera 'tion of gas in the auxiliary device starts the main developing device into action.

The combination of an inflatable memcompartment connected gas-generating committing water to the generate gas therein,

her, a gas-generating therewith, a secondary partment, means for ad secondary generator to and means actuated by the expansion of gas in the secondary holder for forcing water into the main gas-generat'or.

4. The combination of a carbid-holder, a water-receptacle therein, a water-chamber surrounding said holder, a second carbid holder,connected to the water-chamber, a par: tition between the second holder and waterchamber, and means for. breaking the waterreceptacle in the first generator,'whereupon the expansion of gas generated therein eventuallycauses the rupture of said partition and forces water into the second holder, substantially as described.

5. In a life-saving apparatus an auxiliary acetylenegas-developing device adapted to compress the water into the main carbid-receiver to develop the gas to fill the main .IIO

buoyant part of the life-saving apparatus,

substantially as described.

6. In a life-saving apparatus, the combinetion of an auxiliary acetylene-gas-developing device adapted to'force the Water into the main gasgenerating apparatus, with the main gas-generating apparatus, substantially as described. g

7 In a life-saving apparatus a chamber 2 containing water, a receptacle 33 containing carbid, and an auxiliary gas-generating device for forcing the water of said chamber into the receptacle 33, when the apparatus is to be used, substantially as described.

1 8. In a life-savingv apparatus, an auxiliary acetylene-gas-developing device, comprising a bulb 15 containing water, means for breaking said bulb on the apparatus being thrown or placed into the waten a receptacle sur lip rounding the bulb and containing carbid, a bag of elastic material adapted to expand on the water escaping from the broken bulb, coming into contact with the carbid and generating acetylene gas; a chamber2surronnding or inclosing the said bag and containing water, a receptacle 33 containing carbid, an elastic diaphragm covering a hole in the end of said receptacle.33, a pointed blade adapted on the elastic diaphragm being pressed in by the pressure of the water to perforate said diaphragm 35 so as to admit the water to the. carbid in the main gas-developing apparatus, substantially as described.

, In a life-saving apparatus, an auxiliary facetylene gas developing device, comprising a bulb 15 containing water, means for breaking said bulb on the apparatus being thrown or placed into the water, said means comprising a hammer 21, pivoted below the bulb, a catch 26 supporting said hammer, a frame 24 supporting said catch 26, a roller 25 secured to said frame 24, a two-armed lever 27 adapted in its normal position by bearing against the roller 25 to keep the frame 24 in its raised position, so that the catch 26 remains in contact with the hammer 21, an elastic diaphragm 29 adapted on the apparatus being placed or thrown into Water toraise the otherfend of the lever 27 and thus to release thebatch 20 and enable the hammer to strike under the action of a spring against the bulb and break the same, substantially as described.

'10. In alife-saving apparatus, an auxiliary acetylene-gas-developing device, comprising a bulb 15 containing Water, a hammer 21 adapted on its being released from a catch 26 to break said bulb, a receptacle surrounding the bulb 15 and containing carbid, a bag of elastic material adapted to expand on the Water escaping from the broken bulb coming into contact with the carbid and generating acetylene gas, a chamber 2 inclosing the said bag and containing water; a receptacle 33 containing carbid and means for enabling the water in the receptacle'2 to pass into the receptacle 33 under the action of the gas in the preliminary acetylene-gen'eratin g apparatus, substantially as described.

11. In a life-saving apparatus, an auxiliary acetylene-gas-developing device, comprising a bulb 15 containing water means for breaking said bulb on the apparatus being thrown or placed into the water, a bag of elastic material adapted to expand on the water escaping from the broken bulb coming into contact with the carbid and generating acetylene gas; a; chamber 2 inclosing said bag and containing water, an elastic diaphragm in the wall of said chamber, a metal plate on said diaphragm, a knob 4 on said diaphragm, a receptacle 33 containing carbid and means for enabling the water in the receptacle 2 to pass into the receptacle 33 under the action of the gas in the preliminary acetylene-generating apparatus, substantially as described.

12. In a life-saving apparatus, a main gas+ developing device comprising a receptacle 33 containing carbid, a membrane 35 covering a hole in the end of said receptacle, a pointed blade adapted-on the membrane being pressed in to puncture said-membrane, a tube 37 connected with the hole in the end of the recep tacle 33, and a perforated headpiece at the end of said tube, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of o witnesses. J 0H NNES BUCK.

Witnesses:

LE0 FoLLEs, E. H. L. MUMMENHOFF. 

